← Back to explore

William Devane

Acting

Born September 5, 1939 · Albany, New York, USA

Also known as William Joseph Devane · Γουίλιαμ Ντιβέιν · ویلیام دیوان

Biography

William Joseph Devane (born September 5, 1937) is an American film, television and theater actor, known for his role as Greg Sumner on the primetime soap opera Knots Landing and as James Heller on the Fox serial drama 24, the role he reprised in Live Another Day. He is also known for his supporting roles in films such as McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Family Plot), Marathon Man, Rolling Thunder and Space Cowboys. Devane began his acting career with the New York Shakespeare Festival where he performed in 15 plays. In 1966, Devane portrayed Robert F. Kennedy in the Off-Broadway spoof MacBird. He gained acclaim for his role as President John F. Kennedy in a television docudrama about the Cuban Missile Crisis, The Missiles of October, and again when he played blacklisted radio personality John Henry Faulk in the Emmy Award-winning TV movie Fear on Trial. He is widely known for his ten years as the ambitious and hardnosed politician-turned-corporate titan Greg Sumner on Knots Landing. In 1994, Devane appeared as Al Capone in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman in an episode entitled "That Old Gang of Mine". He also had a recurring role on the CBS show Early Edition as the lead character's father. Devane appeared in the films McCabe & Mrs. Miller; Lady Liberty; Family Plot; Marathon Man; Rolling Thunder; Yanks; Testament; Timestalkers; Forgotten Sins; Exception to the Rule; Payback; Hollow Man and Space Cowboys. Devane has played members of the Presidential Cabinet on two evening dramas. In 2004, on The West Wing, he guest-starred as the Secretary of State and potential Vice-Presidential nominee. Devane appeared in several scenes with Martin Sheen; they also appeared together as President John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert, respectively, 30 years earlier in The Missiles of October. In 2005, he joined the cast of 24 as Secretary of Defense James Heller for seasons 4, 5 and 6.

Filmography50+ titles

A Woman Named Jackie

1991as Black Jack Bouvier

Interstellar

2014as Williams

The X-Files

1993as General Mark Suveg

The West Wing

1999as Lewis Berryhill

Stargate SG-1

1997as President Hayes

Murder C.O.D.

1990as Alex Brandt

Bosch: Legacy

2022as Whitney Vance

Psych

2006as Peters

The Dark Knight Rises

2012as President

24

2001as James Heller

Revenge

2011as Edward Grayson

NCIS

2003as Nicolas Mason

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962as Self

The Million Dollar Rip-Off

1976Writer

Touched by an Angel

1994as Benjamin Parker

Marathon Man

1976as Janeway

McCabe & Mrs. Miller

1971as Lawyer

Stargate: Continuum

2008as President Henry Hayes

Jesse Stone: Sea Change

2007as Dr. Dix

Notes from the Underbelly

as Walter

Jesse Stone: No Remorse

2010as Dr. Dix

Jesse Stone: Thin Ice

2009as Dr. Dix

Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise

2006as Dr. Dix

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

1993as Al Capone

Knots Landing

1979as Greg Sumner

Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt

2012as Dr. Dix

Payback

1999as Carter

Family Plot

1976as Arthur Adamson

Mannix

1967as Al Kordic

The Grinder

2015as Dean Sanderson Sr.

50 to 1

2014as Leonard Doc Blach

Nightmare in Columbia County

1991as Sheriff Jim Metts

Rolling Thunder

1977as Major Charles Rane

Gunsmoke

1955as Moss Stratton

Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise

2015as Dr. Dix

Report to the Commissioner

1975as Asst. D.A. Jackson

Truth

2015as Gen. Hodges (voice) (uncredited)

Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost

2011as Dr. Dix

Space Cowboys

2000as Eugene Davis

Testament

1983as Tom Wetherly

Monte Walsh

2003as Cal Brennan

What About Brian

2006as Michael Davis

Race to Space

2001as Roger Thornhill

Hollow Man

2000as Dr. Kramer

Yanks

1979as John

The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training

1977as Mike Leak

The Badge

2002as The Judge

Freefall: Flight 174

1995as Capt. Bob Pearson

Prophet of Evil: The Ervil LeBaron Story

1993as Daniel 'Dan' Fields

The Preppie Murder

1989as Jack Litman